1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sanitary protection and more particularly, to sanitary protection for ladies of all ages with various degrees of urinary incontinence. Incontinence may manifest itself as a slow leakage which is more or less continuous, intermittent sporatic discharge or a sudden uncontrollable full flow urination.
The containment or collection of involuntary discharge of fluid waste from an incontinent female is a problem for millions of otherwise healthy women. Although the problem is not unique to women, the differences in anatomy between men and women require that separate devices be made available for the use of each.
In providing a urine collection device for females, reliable functioning, no matter whether the flow is small or large, or the onset is sudden, is of utmost importance. Few things can be more embarassing than a sudden uncontrolled urination which is noticeable by other people. It is highly desirable that any ladies incontinence device be able to handle this possibility without leakage or splashing on clothing or on the floor. Sufficient capacity must be provided consistent with the size of the bladder.
The nature of the condition mandates that many wearers of an incontinence device must keep the device in place against their person for long periods of time. As a result, comfort is very important as is freedom from irritation and chafing which may result from normal movement of the wearer with the device in place. It is also highly desirable to remove the waste fluid from any contact with the body as soon as possible to minimize irritation and infection. Compactness, unobtrusiveness, softness, and flexibility are further highly desirable characteristics which relate to comfort and convenience.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known urine collection apparatus for females fall into several basic categories. Absorbant garments similar to diapers and sanitary napkins may have a liquid-proof outer layer and inner layers which absorb liquids and hold them until the diaper or napkin is changed. They are bulky, uncomfortable, and generally asthetically offensive as well as psychologically objectionable for most women. They permit prolonged contact of the moist absorbant material with a large area of the body thus giving rise to irritation and even infection of the skin and promote an effective growth medium for bacteria. The contained urine undesirably comes in contact with the vagina for a period of time until such garments or napkins are removed and changed.
Another category of urine collection devices includes cup-like receptacle members which cover the female urethra and are held in close proximity to the body to collect urine and direct it into a drain tube leading to a suitable receptacle or collection bag, either carried on the leg or placed adjacent to the patient if the patient is bedridden. Some of these devices are provided with a vaccuum collecting system to continuously draw off accumulating urine. Many of the devices of this type attempt to avoid leakage by drawing the edges of the cup-like receptacle tight against the uro-genital area to maintain a seal or as much as a seal as possible.
These device have been unsatisfactory for a fully ambulatory person since they are till susceptible to leakage around the edges and create discomfort by interfering with the user's freedom of movement and ability to assume various postures and by limiting the choice of clothing. Special or unusual strap-on systems add to the psychological trauma and are often uncomfortable.
Another category of prior art devices which attempt to deal with the problem of the ambulatory person are seen to be devices that require internal insertion of some part of the device into the vagina in order to help hold the sealing or collecting device in place. Although these devices may function to collect a flow of liquid urine from an incontinent patient, they are necessarily intrusions into the body cavity and are uncomfortable, especially if worn for considerable periods of time. There is also an increased risk of infection, chafing, and irritation caused by the use of internally worn devices. This is especially true since most of the devices of this class are non-disposable.